Stuffed Bell Pepper / Etli Biber Dolması

This dish is one of my favorite dishes. Both vegetable and meat, nutritious and filling. I generally serve it with a soup or simply make a salad . Here is how i cook it.

Ingredients

500 - 600 gr bell pepper

1 tomato / grated

1 brown onion / chopped

3 cloves of garlic / minced

200 gr ground beef

1 cup rice

1 table spoon tomato paste + 1 teaspoon of tomato paste

1 table spoon red pepper paste + 1 teaspoon of red pepper paste

1 handful of parsley leaves / chopped

7 - 8 leaves of fresh mint / chopped

50 gr butter

1/2 teaspoon allspice / grounded

1/2 teaspoon black pepper / grounded

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cumin / grounded

1,5 table spoon dried mint

Salt

Directions

Wash and cut the bell peppers.

Chop the onions

Mince the garlic cloves

Chop parsley and fresh mint leaves

Grate the tomato

Wash and strain the water from rice.

Put the onions, garlic, parsley, fresh mint, grated tomato, ground beef, rice, butter, all off the spices, 1 table spoon of red pepper and tomato paste in a big bowl and blend them well. I knead them at least for 10 minutes.

When they mixed completely, stuff the bell peppers with the mixture.

As you can see i was out of bell peppers so i stuffed a tomato. Add an extra onion to avoid the peppers to move in cooking process.

I don' t like cook my stuffed peppers with plain water. So i prepare a seasoned water. 

I melt 1 teaspoon of red pepper paste and 1 teaspoon of tomato paste in hot water in a mid sized bowl.

Add a little bit paprika, black pepper, salt and cumin.

Pour the water into the pot until it's about half full.

Cook it for 35 - 40 minutes at a low heat.

I hope you like my recipe :)